Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, in order to hold a visa, individuals must pass a character test. Does supporting a listed terrorist organisation like Hamas pass Australia's character test?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I notice the Leader of the Opposition, at a time when we were celebrating Olympians coming back to Australia, a moment of national unity, chose once again to seek division this morning in an interview on Sky News. Under the former government, there was this organisation called the Taliban in Afghanistan, and that, of course, did not stop Australia from accepting people from Afghanistan—and rightly so. Similarly in Iraq, similarly in Syria with the chaos that occurred—a special visa was created for people from Syria, indeed. And the ASIO director-general, Mike Burgess, of course, made some comments about this on Sunday. He did also—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. The Prime Minister was in the middle of a statement from the ASIO director regarding the question, but I will listen to the Leader of the Opposition.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was very tight. It was, 'Does supporting a listed terrorist organisation like Hamas pass Australia's character test?'

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Members on my left, there was an unparliamentary remark made while the leader was on his feet. Can I just say: when members are on their feet raising a point of order, it is highly disorderly, and I'm just going to ask from some restraint by all members. I heard a comment. I didn't hear what the word was, but I don't want to repeat it. If the Attorney-General has made an unparliamentary remark, I'm going to ask the Attorney-General to withdraw.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Barker should also withdraw.

Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the House. This is to allow the Leader of the Opposition, as he's entitled to do under the standing orders, to raise a point of order.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's on relevance. This was an uncomplicated proposition. We just ask for a straight answer from the Prime Minister. Does supporting a listed terrorist organisation like Hamas pass Australia's character test? Yes or no?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm going to deal with this. Under the standing orders, as the Leader of the Opposition well knows, I am not able to direct any minister, including the Prime Minister, with a 'yes or no' answer or with a fact or a figure, which I can appreciate members opposite would like from time to time. The Prime Minister was, as I said, reading a quote regarding this issue. If he was talking about another quote or another topic—but, given that he is in the middle of a quote, he couldn't be more directly relevant to the question. The Leader of the Opposition has raised his point of order. I've shown him respect. I'm asking him to show the chair respect as well. I give the call to the Prime Minister.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will make two comments, one of which relates directly to security assessments. They are done by the ASIO director-general. If the Leader of the Opposition doesn't have confidence in that system, he should say so. It's exactly the same system that was in place when the Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection who presided over these issues.

And I want to make another point relating to this and the comments the ASIO Director-General made on Monday 5 August. He said this about social cohesion:

This is really a matter for everyone—community leaders, politicians, the media—watch your words, watch your actions. … there is a direct correlation between inflamed language, inflamed tension, and violence …

I seek to bring people together. This bloke—this weak bloke over here—can't ever say no to anyone on his own team, can't ever say no to attempting to raise tension in our community, and is always looking for an opportunity to create division. That is what his off-the-cuff comments were about today—comments that didn't go to their shadow cabinet, didn't go to their caucus, didn't go through any of their proper processes, yet again.